The Value of Communication

I saw Tai Shan's cuddly face staring at me from this week's Washington Post Magazine feature and I expected five pages of "awww" reading.

I didn't expect another somber life lesson.

But then I read this:

"We're all losing our shirts," said the National Zoo's Berry. "People think: Oh, you're making money on these damn pandas. You're making a fortune. Every penny we make is plowed back into this species."

Then again, he added, "this is about advancing science and all biology . . . It's worth losing the money on. We lost money on Apollo, too, you know."

So, basically, capitalism rewards the worthless things in life. OK, that's a bit harsh, but echo that with what one of the other interns told me last week, while we were talking (what else) jobs.

Her recently graduated boyfriend works at an engineering firm and makes more than double what I can even dream my entry-level salary will be.

"I love him, but he's a horrible writer," she said.

"Why is something as essential as the ability to convey thoughts in a coherent manner undervalued?" I asked, not really wanting an answer.

Journalism isn't just reciting the news or telling a story. At its heart, journalism is about fostering communication. And with the increasing specialization or, as one attendee at NewsVision called it, the "niche-ification" of the internet, I fear losing the common ground of the newspaper that fosters communication between, and not just among groups.